The importance of realism in British soap opera Essay Example for Free

The importance of realism in British soap opera Essay Corrie, Enders and Brookie are all one. Family Affairs and The Archers are too. These shows are all a part of the great institution known as the British Soap Operas. Originating from when they were U.S. daytime drama programs sponsored by soap manufacturers, they were aimed at 1930s housewives with Opera ironically mocking the storylines that were thought of as being trivial and domestic. Soaps have always remained melodramatic, outrageous and containing high emotional content. They explore the domestic and personal worlds of their characters, which make the audience become more fascinated with the everyday drama of relationships and communities then with apparent serious events such as politics or current affairs. Soaps are mainly revolved around an established location (a street, close, square or an area). Some Soap, such as The Bill and Casualty are known to be occupational soaps, revolving around a workplace. The key factors in Soap are the community places where everyone knows each other making storylines a lot more possible. The Local pub is a place where gossip can be spread fast and enemies cannot avoid one another. Meaning a confrontation (a la Mike Baldwin and Ken Barlow) is inevitable providing a worthwhile appearance in soap. A big part of the Soap Operas popularity is realism, which is the dominant mode of representation in Television and Media. The term usually implies that the media text attempts to represent an external reality; Soaps are realistic because it is accurately reproduces the part and culture of the world its referring to. The uses of conventions aid this representation. A series of conventions is used to charm the audience into the world. Locations, narrative structures and mise-en-scene conventions are a few which attract the audience. If everyone in Eastenders drove Mercedes convertibles with the top down in October, it wouldnt match the reality of it happening at the same time in East End London. Whilst still being dramatic, soaps have always connected to their audience using realism. To achieve this the audience should feel the Soap should be set in contemporary setting meaning it should be set in the present day or at least modern times which the audience can recognize. The drama should contain people who the audience can identify with; a character like Phil Mitchell is more believable then someone having superhero powers (think Superman, Buffy). This means the audience are able to believe the characters are real people too, because of their possible human existence. Realism is also constructed by Soaps revolving around the working class, who make up the majority of the audience. Storylines and activities such as popping into the local are believable. These conventions are evident in popular soaps such as Coronation Street (1960-), Eastenders (1985-) and Brookside (1982-2003). Storylines in Soaps make realism more realistic; the social issues conveyed are usually negative. These things that are significant in society and in the news at one time or another, these controversial storylines prompt quick conflicting response. Some issues are long-standing such as alcoholism, teenage pregnancy, abortion, drugs and rape. Soap operas tend to reflect as many social issues as they can, which can be seen as a attempt to educate and support viewers. Often there is a help line number for victims who have suffered the same fate as the character after the episode. The long storyline of Mark Fowler in Eastenders being HIV positive was started in the 80s a time when the disease was being discovered and the show took the issue and proved that the suffering characters are like real people and arent protected by their fictional state. The storyline was followed until Marks eventual death in 2003. This also shows that every single dialogue written in Soaps can influence the future plots. However, some storylines arent so reflective. Weve just seen Dirty Den Watts reappear in EastEnders, despite having died 10years ago. The writers wrote him back in by revisiting the day when his body was dragged out of a river and that cryptically his body wasnt identified. If he had been identified, this storyline wouldnt be gripping 17million viewers currently. Notice that there was no help lines for viewers who have had people come back from the dead, proving that the writers arent using realism to illustrate this storyline. Adding to the realism is the location, many small communities have basic meeting places the shops, pub and repair garage are just a few. This provides the characters with a assembly point where storyline titbits can be exchanged and the viewer more informed. These local public places are magnified in the Soap. Almost every woman in Coronation Street works at Underworld, which would almost never happen in a real street. This unrealistic setting employs the realistic storyline The woman at underworld would be gossiping about a wedding or other storyline that would inform the viewers more detail of the story. The gossiping and bitchy female workplace is also evident in the real world. Also Soap has the proximity of everything being so close to one another. Rita in Coronation Street goes from working all day in a Newsagent to having a night out at the Rovers. Nobody goes very far away. In a Truman Show style it is almost as it the characters do not know of a world outside Weatherfield. Important in adding to the realism is sound. It is always diegetic, like when the train goes past the market stalls in EastEnders. This can make the show seem more real because the 5.35 train to North London has just gone past a busy market. This makes the whole concept more believable. Representation of the characters is also important. East end London is full of different ethnicities, different genders, sexual preference, ages, occupations, incomes and backgrounds and the characters in Eastenders are meant to be a represent society. The more different characters in the Soap, the more authentic it is. Soaps mostly rely on conflict with one another, as do most things; it comes down to Good vs. Bad. Audiences all go through conflict with one another, believing they are right. To have characters do the same provides the audience with a reassurance that everyone disagrees and that conflict is inevitable. There is a disagreement about the value of Soap Opera. Some say Soaps are Junk TV predictable and limited in stimulation of the mind. For others they are examples of realism, reflecting the society they depict by tackling social issues in a dramatic form. Thus, the importance of realism in soap operas is vital to their success. Cemented as their own institution, avid fans can cling onto story lines and events in a bid to relate to scenarios in their life. Although a strong example, the HIV Mark Fowler storyline has the possibility to help and support victims so much that if they actually remembered that Mark Fowler is fictional the story crumbles and they may feel vulnerable and alone. Having the empathy of someone else going through the same can encourage an audience so much that the realistic features found in Soaps should be exact, so the audience can accept the story and relate. To me, it seems anything but trivial and domestic.

Essay --

Clare Kelly Hour: 6 â€Å"The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way. If it never surprises, it is flat. If it does not convince, it is a flat pretending to be round.† -E.M. Forster Benvolio initially appears to be a minor character in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As Romeo’s trustworthy cousin he is the consistent anchor and voice of reason throughout the play. Benvolio is portrayed as an honest, steadfast friend and peacemaker yet he has his own heartaches, which cause him to not always act sensibly. Shakespeare cunningly gives the audience an early indication of Benvolio’s personality through his name. Benvolio translated literally means â€Å"good-will† or â€Å"well wisher† a role he consistently fills, although sometimes unsuccessfully throughout the play, striving to keep himself and others around him out of any conflict. In the very first scene of the play, Benvolio quickly establishes himself as the peacemaker as he tries to stop the fight between the Montague and Capulet servants by saying, â€Å"Part fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do.†(I.i.64-65) Wanting peace he warns them to stop arguing before things evolve into a grave situation. In that statement, Shakespeare references the Gospel of Luke â€Å"Father forgive them for they know not what they do† (Luke 23:34), using his skillful use of the written language to allude that Benvolio was taking on a Christ like peacemaker role in the play. Benvolio’s moral convi ctions do not change over the course of the play. His stance on peace is evident in all three scenes. In Act III, as Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight, Benvolio once again attempts to be the voice of reason, â€Å"We talk here in the public haunt of mean: eithe... ...he is out for a pre-dawn stroll. â€Å"A troubled mind drove me to walk abroad.†(I.i.114) Then later on in Act I there is evidence that Benvolio doesn’t always act sensibly as he convinces Romeo to sneak in un-invited to the enemies masquerade ball, which could end in grave consequences. In Act II Benvolio and Mercutio join together to make fun of the Nurse at her expense, â€Å"hide her face, for her fans the fairer face.† (II.iv.98-99) In conclusion, although in the beginning Benvolio only appeared as a minor character, over the course of the play Shakespeare devolved Benvolio into a well rounded, three-dimensional character by making him not only a sensible peacemaker, and a honest trustworthy friend but also creating him to have a troubled mind like any other normal human. It is ironic that Benvolio, a minor character, is the only one that was left to pick up the pieces. Essay -- Clare Kelly Hour: 6 â€Å"The test of a round character is whether it is capable of surprising in a convincing way. If it never surprises, it is flat. If it does not convince, it is a flat pretending to be round.† -E.M. Forster Benvolio initially appears to be a minor character in William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As Romeo’s trustworthy cousin he is the consistent anchor and voice of reason throughout the play. Benvolio is portrayed as an honest, steadfast friend and peacemaker yet he has his own heartaches, which cause him to not always act sensibly. Shakespeare cunningly gives the audience an early indication of Benvolio’s personality through his name. Benvolio translated literally means â€Å"good-will† or â€Å"well wisher† a role he consistently fills, although sometimes unsuccessfully throughout the play, striving to keep himself and others around him out of any conflict. In the very first scene of the play, Benvolio quickly establishes himself as the peacemaker as he tries to stop the fight between the Montague and Capulet servants by saying, â€Å"Part fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do.†(I.i.64-65) Wanting peace he warns them to stop arguing before things evolve into a grave situation. In that statement, Shakespeare references the Gospel of Luke â€Å"Father forgive them for they know not what they do† (Luke 23:34), using his skillful use of the written language to allude that Benvolio was taking on a Christ like peacemaker role in the play. Benvolio’s moral convi ctions do not change over the course of the play. His stance on peace is evident in all three scenes. In Act III, as Mercutio and Tybalt begin to fight, Benvolio once again attempts to be the voice of reason, â€Å"We talk here in the public haunt of mean: eithe... ...he is out for a pre-dawn stroll. â€Å"A troubled mind drove me to walk abroad.†(I.i.114) Then later on in Act I there is evidence that Benvolio doesn’t always act sensibly as he convinces Romeo to sneak in un-invited to the enemies masquerade ball, which could end in grave consequences. In Act II Benvolio and Mercutio join together to make fun of the Nurse at her expense, â€Å"hide her face, for her fans the fairer face.† (II.iv.98-99) In conclusion, although in the beginning Benvolio only appeared as a minor character, over the course of the play Shakespeare devolved Benvolio into a well rounded, three-dimensional character by making him not only a sensible peacemaker, and a honest trustworthy friend but also creating him to have a troubled mind like any other normal human. It is ironic that Benvolio, a minor character, is the only one that was left to pick up the pieces.

Dystopia or Utopia

First, in the book 1 984 by George Orwell, dyspepsia is shown right off by the futuristic setting. Orwell shows the theme dyspepsia with the futuristic setting in 1 984 by using the Thought Police and vaporization. The Thought Police are constantly monitoring the thoughts of Oceania citizens, to make sure they do not disobey ‘ ‘The Party' or â€Å"Big Brother'. In the book it says several times â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU! † (Orwell 3), this saying creates fear in the citizens, and reminds them they are always being watched by their government. They do this to make sure the current government will stay in control.If any citizen ever even thinks about going against or betraying â€Å"The Party', they get vaporized immediately. Being vaporized means that they basically make the citizen completely disappear and they also make it seem like they never existed. The author causes the reader to be afraid by using these forms of technology that are impossible in our world currently; this enhances the theme of dyspepsia. The main character Winston Smith, is always fighting his urge to go against and betray â€Å"The Party' because he knows what he consequence will be if he ever does betray them.This also greatly enhances the theme of dyspepsia in 1984. Second, the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury has an underlying theme of dyspepsia as well. When reading just the first few pages of this book, the reader can get a feeling of dyspepsia very quickly. One of the first things that makes the reader think this is, is the fact that the firemen in Fahrenheit 451 burn books, instead of putting out fires, like they do in our modern day society. This seems very strange to use because it is not what we are used to, UT this is a way the author enhances the theme of dyspepsia.We see this dyspepsia world through the eyes of the main character Guy Montage. He is one Of the firemen that burn books, and he Starts to question why he does this throughout the bo ok, especially when he meets his new neighbor, Claries. She is a young girl that makes him think about the world in new ways and makes him wonder about his life, his ideals, and his own happiness. This is a quote from the book, ‘†Do you ever read any of the books you burn? † He laughed. â€Å"That's against the law! † â€Å"Oh of course† (Bradbury 8). Montage is liking to Beauty, his boss about reading books.After this he takes an interest in reading and soon steals a book to read, instead of burning it. In this fictional world created by Bradbury, the reading of books is abandoned. If someone is caught with a book, they are sent to a mental hospital and their books are burned, or they are sentenced to death. This also enhances the theme of dyspepsia because the government does not want the people to know anything and only do what they want them too. Thirdly, the book Brave New World written by Aloud Huxley also has an underlying theme of dyspepsia.Mo st of the time there is a big difference between a utopia and dyspepsia, for some readers, this book can be seen as either. It is dyspepsia because the people are built in factories, rather than by human interaction, also in a child's upbringing they go through conditioning. This is a quote from the book talking about conditioning ‘that is the secret of happiness and virtue- liking what you've got to do. All conditioning aims at that: making people like their inescapable social destiny' (Huxley 16). Conditioning means that they are trained to dislike and like certain things.All of the people in the society think that things are perfect, until Bernard Marx comes along. As a baby Bernard received extra alcohol in his ‘baby bag†, and he is different than the rest of the people. He has only engaged with 3 women in a year, whereas most â€Å"normal† alphas engage 2-3 women per week. Another example of dyspepsia is the system of control in Brave New World is pleas ure, and indulgence. Sex and drugs causes the people to be happy all the time, and this keeps them from ever going against the government.In other words, the government keeps all the citizens under the influence, and happy to intro them and get the citizens to do whatever they want them too. Others might say that these three books, 1984, Fahrenheit 451 , and Brave New World aren't dyspepsia, but they are utopias. They might say that these worlds are perfect because everybody has a job, or that nobody is in poverty. They also might say this because you don't hear of anyone getting killed, or anyone getting robbed. This might be true, but the cons of these societies outweigh the pros, therefore they should be considered Dyspepsia.The governments in all three of these books have way too much control, and have he people oppressed to get them to do anything they want, and to keep them from going against them. In conclusion, Dyspepsia is the word that comes to mind with the stories and po litical horrors with government control, politicians, and community leaders being those who are most opposed by the audience and the main characters in the stories throughout Brave New World, 1 984, and Fahrenheit 451. Dyspepsia is the opposite of utopia, which means a perfect society. Dyspepsia means an imperfect society. All three of these books have an underlying theme of dyspepsia.

Native Americans And Western Culture - 2900 Words

Native Americans have an intimate relationship with the Earth that is very unusual to western culture. For centuries before the arrival of Europeans, Native Americans lived off the land in North America, without claiming ownership or creating massive environmental destruction. They have both a deep love and fear for the power of nature, and try to live as one with the environment. Because of this common value among tribes, Native Americans are often stereotyped as being the first environmentalists, which is not entirely true. Native Americans do value and treasure the environment, but not always in the way western environmentalists imagen. Modern environmentalists grew up in a different culture, one that embraces development and progress†¦show more content†¦Positives between Environmentalists and Native Americans There is good reason why environmentalists so often associate themselves with Native Americans. Indigenous culture has a deep reverence for the environment that is not prevalent in western culture. Using nature for hunting, gathering, and planting required religious procedures and ceremonies in order for Native Americans to receive permission to use resources (Cornell, 1985). Because of this cautious respect, environmentalists and Native Americans often agree with each other on environmental issues, including fracking, mining, and land exploitation. Modern native american activists more frequently are from western tribes, including Crow, Lakota, and Cheyenne, because they were in contact with European capitalist culture later than eastern tribes, so they have held on to their old traditions (Cornell, 1985). Environmentalists and Native Americans also overlap in their concern for â€Å"the people† and future generations. When these two groups are separate, they have weaker political power, but when they join forces they can have a much stronger impact. One survey compared the beliefs of Native American hunters and majority-culture (west ern) hunters, to see if Native Americans truly respect the environment more. The first part of the survey asked multiple Native American hunters and western hunters to rank multiple plant and animal species in importance. Of the 17 Native